Like many young folks, my life has been dramatically altered
after deeply listening to the Beatles.
High school was just beginning. I was a basketball player.
Summer was rolling around, and I began to have a severe pain in my abdomen.
After a couple days of fighting through it, I went to the hospital. Who had no
idea what was going on. So I went to another hospital, and they had no idea
either. Nearly a month had passed before our family doctor suggested looking at
my appendix.
It had ruptured. I should have been dead.
But my body contained the spewing poison. Worn out from the weeks
of inaction, and the drugs and pain from the surgery, I was facing a lengthy
recovery. As I lay in a hospital bed, sad to be missing the joy of running in
the summer sunshine – hours of backyard football and basketball, sleepovers, and
all the many joys of being a kid at summertime – someone had brought me in
music to help cheer me up.
A cassette for my Walkman.
The White Album.
The oldies channel was my favorite channel, so the Beatles
were not a totally new experience for me, but this was the first time I
actually listened to the songs.
I was hooked by the time Dear Prudence came on and jumped
into their catalogue whole-heartedly.
Almost immediately I was intrigued by John Lennon. Gravitating
towards his music and personality, I dove into his solo records as well. There
was an honesty and power to his music. It meant something beyond just a clever
rhyme. My eyes were opened to the power of an artist with a cause.
Music can change the world.
And someone who is willing to put their career in jeopardy
to stand for what they feel is right will inspire many. John worked for Peace.
He wrote political songs and used his music and art to make statements. His
power was so great, that Nixon felt he was a large threat! That is some power!
Lennon opened my eyes to Peace, to activism, to the role of
the artist.
My life has brought me to this point largely because of this
early influence.
So I celebrate all that John created and its impact on my
life. Today would have been his 73rd birthday.
Imagine is his best record, in my opinion, but my favorite
is Walls & Bridges. Enjoy it here: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL91BD49EA1107B70B
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